The Importance of a Point Free Driving Record

judge_gavelDid you get a ticket for speeding or another moving violation?

We are proud to offer a State Approved online defensive driving course that provides unmatched convenience and flexibility to get a ticket dismissed by the Court.  So why is it important to keep points from tickets off your driving record?  Most people don’t realize that Texas has a points system.  Whenever you pay for a ticket and allow it to go on your driving record, you will receive a predetermined amount of points depending upon the violation.  Once you reach a certain number of points, you are eligible to be surcharged by the State, which is like paying an extra fine.  Also, whenever your auto insurance comes up for renewal, a copy of your driving record can be used to determine whether a rate increase is needed.  If you have a number of tickets or crashes, you will likely be required to pay more than someone that has a clean record.  Lastly, if you pursue a job that requires a company vehicle, your poor driving record could be considered detrimental.

So for all the reasons mentioned above, we believe that it is a good measure to do all you can to keep a point free driving record, and that means taking defensive driving when given the option.


Obtaining Permission from a Texas Court

Once you decide that you would like to avoid points and keep your driving record as clean as possible by taking a defensive driving course, we recommend that you read the traffic ticket or other documentation provided by the law enforcement officer for specific instructions. Typically, your ticket will provide you with the specific instructions depending on whether you choose to pay the fine, contest the ticket, or take defensive driving.

If you choose the defensive driving course option, the following are the three main ways to notify the court on or before your court date:

  • In Person Request – You can always physically go to the court and notify the clerk of the court that you would like to take a defensive driving course to keep the ticket off your record.
  • Written Request for Permission – You are also permitted to make your request in writing. This is a useful option for out of state or drivers that live a long distance from the court presiding over their ticket. This request can sometimes be found on the back of the ticket.
  • Telephone Request – Some Texas courts will also allow you to call and request permission to attend the Texas defensive driving course.

Regardless of the method you choose to notify the court, the important thing is that you do so before the appearance date shown on your ticket to avoid a warrant. Once the court determines you are eligible, they will give you a new deadline date (typically 90 days) to complete a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) approved defensive driving course (also known as a driving safety course) and present them with the completion certificate. Usually the court will also require that you get a copy of your driving record.  The cheapest and fastest way to do this is right through the Texas Department of Public Safety.

After you have successfully notified the court and have your deadline to complete the course, then you are ready to begin.  If needed, you can find out more details about how the online course works, about the course curriculum, or you can get started with the registration now!

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